The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the att... more The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the attention of art historians in recent years. While Henry Maguire has considered many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype (“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the att... more The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the attention of art historians in recent years. While Henry Maguire has considered many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype (“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
Visually, the format of the Pausolype icon is reminiscent of the “vita” icon, and also includes the standard biographical content. Access to the central icon of the Virgin Pausolype, like those of vita icons, relied upon the viewer’s understanding of the surrounding framework of images. This format engaged the viewer in a theological dialogue, driven by the narrative interactions between the peripheral scenes and the central one. I assert that the cessation of sorrow moment is a theological one imbued with lament, which arises from a debate between Mary and her Son regarding his impending sacrifice. I believe that the Christ Child’s agitated movement is indicative of his role as the Eucharistic host. Middle and Late Byzantine culture typically eschewed erratic movement, making the absence of motion correct etiquette for most public occasions. Byzantines from the late Middle period created images according to cultural formulae, and yet the central icon on the obverse of the Pausolype icon is anything but traditionally static. Instead of one frozen moment, the Christ Child’s movement marks a transition from one moment to another, in this case aided by the position of the Nativity above and the Ascension below, and it therefore reads vertically: Incarnation, Passion, and Advent. In Christ’s twisting movement coupled with the knowing gaze of Mary, and confirmed by the placement of feast scenes, the pious observer saw an encapsulation of the major theological moments. In addition, the Pausolype icon participated in the ritual act of transformative movement by means of procession, as is indicated by scarring on the bottom center of the panel. According to Sharon J. Gerstel, movement through the church itself symbolized transformation from earth to paradise. The significance of the Pausolype icon is expanded through contextualization. While I agree with Weyl Carr and Rebecca W. Corrie that the Christ Child’s movement makes reference to his humanness, I believe that this insistence on the physicality of the Christ Child serves to highlight his transformation to the divine.
The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the att... more The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the attention of art historians in recent years. While Henry Maguire has considered many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype (“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the att... more The relationships between movement, emotion, and ritual communion in Byzantium have drawn the attention of art historians in recent years. While Henry Maguire has considered many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype (“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
Visually, the format of the Pausolype icon is reminiscent of the “vita” icon, and also includes the standard biographical content. Access to the central icon of the Virgin Pausolype, like those of vita icons, relied upon the viewer’s understanding of the surrounding framework of images. This format engaged the viewer in a theological dialogue, driven by the narrative interactions between the peripheral scenes and the central one. I assert that the cessation of sorrow moment is a theological one imbued with lament, which arises from a debate between Mary and her Son regarding his impending sacrifice. I believe that the Christ Child’s agitated movement is indicative of his role as the Eucharistic host. Middle and Late Byzantine culture typically eschewed erratic movement, making the absence of motion correct etiquette for most public occasions. Byzantines from the late Middle period created images according to cultural formulae, and yet the central icon on the obverse of the Pausolype icon is anything but traditionally static. Instead of one frozen moment, the Christ Child’s movement marks a transition from one moment to another, in this case aided by the position of the Nativity above and the Ascension below, and it therefore reads vertically: Incarnation, Passion, and Advent. In Christ’s twisting movement coupled with the knowing gaze of Mary, and confirmed by the placement of feast scenes, the pious observer saw an encapsulation of the major theological moments. In addition, the Pausolype icon participated in the ritual act of transformative movement by means of procession, as is indicated by scarring on the bottom center of the panel. According to Sharon J. Gerstel, movement through the church itself symbolized transformation from earth to paradise. The significance of the Pausolype icon is expanded through contextualization. While I agree with Weyl Carr and Rebecca W. Corrie that the Christ Child’s movement makes reference to his humanness, I believe that this insistence on the physicality of the Christ Child serves to highlight his transformation to the divine.
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many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While
the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype
(“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this
particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to
address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
Visually, the format of the Pausolype icon is reminiscent of the “vita” icon, and also includes the standard biographical content. Access to the central icon of the Virgin Pausolype, like those of vita icons, relied upon the viewer’s understanding of the surrounding framework of images. This format engaged the viewer in a theological dialogue, driven by the narrative interactions between the peripheral scenes and the central one. I assert that the cessation of sorrow moment is a theological one imbued with lament, which arises from a debate between Mary and her Son regarding his impending sacrifice. I believe that the Christ Child’s agitated movement is indicative of his role as the Eucharistic host. Middle and Late Byzantine culture typically eschewed erratic movement, making the absence of motion correct etiquette for most public occasions. Byzantines from the late Middle period created images according to cultural formulae, and yet the central icon on the obverse of the Pausolype icon is anything but traditionally static. Instead of one frozen moment, the Christ Child’s movement marks a transition from one moment to another, in this case aided by the position of the Nativity above and the Ascension below, and it therefore reads vertically: Incarnation, Passion, and Advent. In Christ’s twisting movement coupled with the knowing gaze of Mary, and confirmed by the placement of feast scenes, the pious observer saw an encapsulation of the major theological moments. In addition, the Pausolype icon participated in the ritual act of transformative movement by means of procession, as is indicated by scarring on the bottom center of the panel. According to Sharon J. Gerstel, movement through the church itself symbolized transformation from earth to paradise. The significance of the Pausolype icon is expanded through contextualization. While I agree with Weyl Carr and Rebecca W. Corrie that the Christ Child’s movement makes reference to his humanness, I believe that this insistence on the physicality of the Christ Child serves to highlight his transformation to the divine.
many facets of this subject, a monumental Late Byzantine icon, the Two–Sided Icon with the Virgin Pausolype, Feast Scenes, the Crucifixion and Prophets, suggests others. While
the catalog entry by Annemarie Weyl Carr in Byzantium: Faith and Power remains the only published discussion of this particular icon, or even specifically of the Pausolype
(“cease sorrow!”) iconographic type, I believe that this image contributes significantly to our understanding of Late Byzantine culture and liturgical practice. Careful study of this
particular icon encourages a consideration of the problematic subject of emotion, and its interactions with movement, ritual and art.The paucity of evidence makes it difficult to
address specific devotional practices associated with this particular object, although some observations can be made. I am able, however, to align it with its iconographic antecedents and establish contemporary relationships, illuminating aspects of its original function.
Visually, the format of the Pausolype icon is reminiscent of the “vita” icon, and also includes the standard biographical content. Access to the central icon of the Virgin Pausolype, like those of vita icons, relied upon the viewer’s understanding of the surrounding framework of images. This format engaged the viewer in a theological dialogue, driven by the narrative interactions between the peripheral scenes and the central one. I assert that the cessation of sorrow moment is a theological one imbued with lament, which arises from a debate between Mary and her Son regarding his impending sacrifice. I believe that the Christ Child’s agitated movement is indicative of his role as the Eucharistic host. Middle and Late Byzantine culture typically eschewed erratic movement, making the absence of motion correct etiquette for most public occasions. Byzantines from the late Middle period created images according to cultural formulae, and yet the central icon on the obverse of the Pausolype icon is anything but traditionally static. Instead of one frozen moment, the Christ Child’s movement marks a transition from one moment to another, in this case aided by the position of the Nativity above and the Ascension below, and it therefore reads vertically: Incarnation, Passion, and Advent. In Christ’s twisting movement coupled with the knowing gaze of Mary, and confirmed by the placement of feast scenes, the pious observer saw an encapsulation of the major theological moments. In addition, the Pausolype icon participated in the ritual act of transformative movement by means of procession, as is indicated by scarring on the bottom center of the panel. According to Sharon J. Gerstel, movement through the church itself symbolized transformation from earth to paradise. The significance of the Pausolype icon is expanded through contextualization. While I agree with Weyl Carr and Rebecca W. Corrie that the Christ Child’s movement makes reference to his humanness, I believe that this insistence on the physicality of the Christ Child serves to highlight his transformation to the divine.